Artist Abolitionist: Patrick Kolts, Photographer

Photos by Katrina Sorrentino

Meet Patrick Kolts, Brooklyn based photographer, who will be traveling to India to help
capture the stories and beauty of the work Nomi Network is doing on the ground.
All the awesome "Let's End Trafficking Together" t-shirt and tank sale proceeds are going toward this media project
which is otherwise a donation of time and talent. (These are limited edition for 5 more days http://myshirtsize.com/endtrafficking2/). We’re ridiculously grateful
because our media team is super talented, and we all know that a picture is
worth a thousand words...and a beautiful well-composed and well-crafted
photograph? Easily worth at least a million.

Photo by Katrina Sorrentino

NN: Tell us about yourself and your journey - how did you decide on photography
as a medium?

PK: I have
been interested in photography since I was about 10 years old. Not sure
why, I guess it just seemed so familiar. It reminded me of my
grandfather, though I don’t think I ever saw him take a picture. I took
classes and had a camera with me wherever I went always taking pictures of
friends. Eventually people started asking me to take real portraits of them and
paying me. When I was a senior in high school I realized that should be my career
because I enjoyed it – it was a creative outlet and I could make money.

Photos by Patrick Kolts

NN: Tell us
about your artwork – can you tell us more about what inspires you?

PK: I
really love stories and beauty. So I’ve always been attracted to portrait
photography and getting to try and draw something out of someone – getting to
know someone no matter how comfortable or uncomfortable they feel in front of a
camera. I hope people see the glory of the Lord in my photos, even in the
smallest way. I hope it provokes an emotion or interest in understanding
the beauty that we are all surrounded by.

Photos by Patrick Kolts

NN: How did you hear about human trafficking for the first time and why are you
involved with Nomi Network?

PK: I
learned about human trafficking through Nomi Network. Nomi has helped me
to understand many of the facets of this issue. As time has passed since I
first met the team at Nomi and became acquainted with the issue I have come
back to support Nomi and get involved more because I believe what they are
doing is true; it’s from the heart. It’s a very practical way to rescue
these women. It teaches them to really build a better life. They earn a
way to stay out of the trafficking industry and that keeps them out because
they are working for themselves, no longer enslaved to fear.

Photos by Patrick Kolts

NN: Your style of work seems very real, gritty, and even abstract at times. Do
you agree and how would you describe your work? How would you say that your
style is helpful to telling stories of freedom or transformation?

Photo by Patrick Kolts

PK: Haha, I
don’t think I would say it’s gritty or abstract, but i will take real. I
think much of my photography is based on trying to catch real moments in life. I
think moments of true beauty in life, whatever the circumstance is, is a
realization of joy, and joy is freedom.

NN: How can someone find out more about your photography and follow you?